Kegonsa Family Newsletter

We’ve wrapped up another awesome week here at Kegonsa! Spirit Week has been an absolute blast—thank you to everyone who participated and brought so much energy and fun. Wishing you all a Happy Homecoming! 💜🤍

As a reminder, our biggest fundraiser of the year, Gilly’s Grand Prix, is happening next week! We are still looking for volunteers to help with setup, lap counting, and tear-down—every hand makes a difference!

Looking ahead, our Fall Festival is right around the corner, and we can’t wait for the fun it will bring! Have a wonderful weekend! ~Erin

Last year, the class who raised the most Gilly Grand Prix money won the top prize of being pictured on a billboard. Good news!!! The billboard is now up Make sure you take a drive so you can see it!

Here’s a message from Working For Kids:

“We didn’t forget about your amazing kiddos that raised the most money for LAST year's GGP, it was just hard to get squeezed into a billboard space for a VERY long time. Having said that - your (last year's) third graders are up on Hwy N now: CTY HWY N EL 1300' S/O KOSHKONONG RD.”

How do I access my student’s personal donation page?

• Go to http://www.funrun101.com/kegonsa

• Search for your student’s name in the “Search for Participant” field

• Select their name when it appears and it will take you to their personal donation page

How do I use my student’s personal donation page?

• Copy the link and post it in emails to friends and family

• Share the link via social media

• Donors will click the blue “Donate” button and have the option to pledge either a flat amount or per lap

This short clip is such a powerful reminder for all of us as parents and caregivers. Harvard’s research found that when kids are asked what matters most to their parents, they often mention happiness or achievement, but far fewer say kindness or caring. How can we ensure that we are truly expressing our commitment to raising compassionate and kind children

Raising responsible kids doesn’t have to feel like a battle—it can be a joyful and empowering experience for both you and your child. In this insightful article by Dr. Laura Markham, you’ll discover 15 simple yet effective habits that foster independence, accountability, and a sense of contribution in children. From making chores fun to teaching valuable life skills, these strategies will help your child thrive and take charge of their own responsibilities. Ready to learn how to raise a child who feels confident and capable? Click HERE to dive into these practical tips!

Our Gilly’s have been busy so far this year with their Social Emotional lessons. So far we have covered what it means to be regulated. The difference between a “Trigger & Spark”. Both triggers & sparks cause us to be unregulated, however Triggers may cause uncomfortable feelings for ex: feeling scared during a thunderstorm and Sparks make comfortable feelings like excitement like when you go to a concert. We also learned about tools to use to get back to a regulated state. The best tool is breathing. Practice deep breathing with your kids, do a mediation and share what tools you use. The more we normalize utilizing tools the more impactful it will be on our kiddos.

Picture retake day is Monday, October 7th! If your student did not get their picture taken at Back to School Conferences, or if you would like them to retake their picture, please reach out to let their homeroom teacher.

Our annual Fall Festival is just around the corner, and we need your help to make it a success! Join us for an evening of fun, games, and community, but we can’t do it without YOU!

Fall Festival volunteer sign up: https://kegonsa.ptboard.com/sgnvw?group=&signup=97018eae-a588-4de8-a882-ebb2078ed685~s.9223370310598457503

You can now order up to 4 free tests per household, and they’ll ship directly to your home! 🏠 Don't wait—get yours ordered today and stay prepared.

Order here: https://special.usps.com/testkits

If you’ve ever considered making extra money by helping as a substitute in the school, Lauren at ESS would love to share some information with you! ESS is hiring for several substitute positions in SASD. To learn more about these opportunities or the steps needed to start your sub career, you can email Lauren at lamburn@ess.com or give her a call at 608.607.7326.

ESS partners with SASD to provide substitute teachers, aides, and more. You can find them on Facebook at ESS WI. From now through September 13th, please like/follow ESS WI for an entry to win a $50 Amazon gift card! For an extra entry, please like and comment on a post (one additional entry for every new post you like and comment on). For another additional entry, share one of our posts! (one additional entry per share).

Our winner* will be announced on Monday, September 16th!

*additional winners may be chosen based on the total number of entries

If a student is absent or tardy, parents and/or guardians must contact the school by either calling the school attendance line or sending a note to the office.

To leave an absence message, please call 877-5200 and listen to the attendance line prompt. Provide your name, child’s name, homeroom teacher, date of absence, and reason for absence.

When a student is absent and the parent/guardian has not contacted the school, an automated message will be sent to your phone(s) and/or email advising you that your child is not present in school. If you do not confirm the absence, your child will be marked with an “unexcused” absence. For further information regarding the School Board of Education and the State of Wisconsin policies for student Attendance, please consult the 2023-24 Stoughton Area School District Legal Notices and Student Policy Handbook.

A student may be excused by a parent/guardian for ten full days per school year. The parent or guardian must call the school to excuse the absence. These absences are considered parent-excused absences.

• Partial days combine to contribute to the 10 excused absences a student may have each year. The following explains a ‘partial’ day: Arriving later than 8:30 a.m. or departing earlier than 2:15 p.m. would count as one half-day absence. Two half-days would combine into a full day.

• Any absences beyond the ten parent excused absences will be considered unexcused unless the absence is included in the list of excusable absences below.

Students who have accumulated 5 or more unexcused absences per semester are considered by the school board and the State of Wisconsin to be habitually truant.

• At this point, a meeting between school staff and the parent/guardian would be held to develop an attendance improvement plan. We understand that various barriers may prevent regular attendance, and we are committed to working with you to overcome them.

• When the attendance improvement plan is made, the student’s attendance will be monitored and is expected to improve. If no improvement is made, the school may file with the court that the student is habitually truant. The parent/guardian may receive a fine of over $500.

Students can be excused for these specific reasons:

• Medical, dental, counseling or other professional appointments that cannot be scheduled outside the school day may be medically excused with proper written documentation from the provider.

• A court appearance or other legal procedure that requires the student’s presence.

• An emergency in the family or other crisis that requires the student to be absent

• A death in the immediate family, or funerals for relatives or close friends.

• Religious holiday.

• Absence from school during a period of suspension or expulsion.

• Approved school activities during class time.

• Special circumstances that show good cause and which are approved by the school principal.

Office hours: 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

School hours: 7:45 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Doors open at 7:35 a.m.

Please try to get your student to school by 7:35 every day. It gives your students ample time to get to their locker, chat with friends, and grab breakfast. We start our morning meeting at 7:45 and it is hard for kids to walk in late to the classroom when everyone is already begun the day.

If students are not in their classroom at 7:45 they will be marked tardy.

Ms. Conrad, Principal (877-5201)

Mrs. Nelson, Dean of Students (877-5222)

Mrs. Southern, Front Office Admin Assistant (877-5202)

Mr. Schultz, School Counselor (877-5229)

Mrs. Menon, School Psychologist (877-5276)

Mrs. McDermot, School Social Worker (440-0270)

Mrs. Hart, Health Assistant (877-5204)

Email: erin.conrad@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Website: http://www.stoughton.k12.wi.us/page.cfm?p=619
Location: Kegonsa Elementary School, Vernon Street, Stoughton, WI, United States
Phone: 608-877-5202
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stoughtonschools/
Twitter: @WeAreStoughton